As the March 5 election draws near, voter engagement in Long Beach remains dishearteningly low. While while the low numbers may be a disappointment — a lack of interest in civic participation shouldn’t come as a surprise.
For the past three years, I’ve engaged with Long Beach residents, asking them about their priorities for the City Council. The responses are consistent: a call for effective responses to homelessness, better streets and more affordable housing. However, there’s a pervasive belief that elected officials won’t solve these issues.
“Do I feel like they care? Yes,” says Senay Kenfe, a community leader focused on helping people in the Black community build generational wealth through business and home ownership. But he added, “Do I think they are capable? No, I do not.”
Together, Kenfe and Sheba Gillis help lead The Six LB, a community group dedicated to advocating for the 6th City Council District in Central Long Beach, which has historically been ignored or underserved by local government.
Gillis echoed Kenfe’s sentiment, saying, “I think there is a segment of Long Beach politicians that have genuine concern for their constituents, but their priorities and actions do not represent that.”
Newcomers to politics like City Council candidate Ketty Cittero and school board candidate Jerlene Tatum say they are running to provide a voice for those often overlooked in politics. But they face an uphill battle according to Kenfe, who believes the system is not designed for newcomers, saying, “Local politics are based on two concepts. Are you in, or are you out?”
Regardless of who is “in” or “out,” the Long Beach Post remains committed to providing resources to help voters make informed decisions. We aim to empower them with knowledge with our Compare Your Candidates page, podcast interviews and candidate forums all available at lbpost.com/elections. However, the road to clarity is often long and daunting.
Recently, residents of North Long Beach received a mailer concerning District 8 City Council candidate Sharifa Batts, who is a political outsider in comparison to her opponent. The flyer, sent by “The Concerned Neighbors of North Long Beach,” criticized Batts’ financial management skills. The mailer highlights bankruptcy documents under Batts’ name and includes a date from January of this year. However, documents provided by Batts show the bankruptcy was filed in 1997 and discharged in 1998.
The attack seemed ironic given the city’s projected $28 million budget deficit, but how politicians conduct themselves privately is often reflective of their politics and is part of making an informed decision.
But that decision should also weigh information about who sent the mailer. The flyer included an FPPC number, which should have made it easy to identify the source. However, while the organization was listed as “The Concerned Neighbors of North Long Beach,” the FPPC number was registered to “The Concerned Neighbors of LA County.” This discrepancy raised questions about the transparency of the messaging.
Jay Wierenga, the media relations coordinator with the FPPC, explained that as the proper filings have been made, a political action committee like The Concerned Neighbors of LA County can send political mailings calling themselves anything, even “the Golden State Warriors” if they want, as no law prevents them from doing so.
According to the Los Angeles County Clerk’s office, The Concerned Neighbors of LA County became a qualifying committee on Feb. 7. However, they have yet to provide financial statements, and the clerk’s office is unaware of their participation in the primary. This means that voters cannot see financial documents to know who is backing the PAC and what candidates the PAC is backing.
This lack of transparency is troubling. Voters deserve to know who is behind political messaging and their motives. Even the most engaged voter is left in the dark without this information.
As we approach the election, it’s crucial for voters to demand transparency from political organizations. Democracy thrives on informed decision-making, and voters must have access to accurate information about those seeking their support.
Accountability begins with knowledge. It’s time for political messaging to be as transparent as the democracy it seeks to uphold.
Editor’s note: This story was corrected to show the bankruptcy occurred in 1997.